The Spirit of Rett-the AA/Gas...
The Spirit of Rett-the AA/Gas Streamliner (#1122) owned and driven by Charles Nearburg (Dallas, TX) turned a best one-way speed of 373.796 mph. This qualified him for an attempt at the record of 364.761 mph set in 2004. The car is powered by a 523ci General Motors D.R.C.E. (Drag Race Competition Engine), but unfortunately the Salt gremlins spoiled the party.
The Classic category is for 1928 to 1981 American production coupes and sedans. The Modified Category (not to be confused with the Modified Roadster Class) "encompasses American and foreign coupes and sedans unaltered in height, width or contour," but allows other modifications. Subsumed in this category are the Competition Coupe and Sedan, Altered Coupe, Gas Coupe, Modified Sports, Modified Pickup Truck, and Modified Mid/Mini Pickup Truck classes. Whew!
Yes, there's another category (Production) and scads of other classes such as Electric Vehicles, Turbine Vehicles and Diesel Trucks to name but a few. And I haven't even mentioned engine, gas/fuel, and forced induction classes! Please forgive the brevity, but the 2008 Rules Book is 240 pages. The 1966 Rules Book, which I have somewhere on my cluttered desk, is 16 pages. Is there any doubt that the Bonneville National Speed Trials has prospered and grown substantially in the six decades since 1949?
The 2008 meet was every bit as robust as Speed Week 2007. When all the head counts and statistics were in, it was determined that a total of 468 vehicles made it to the three starting lines-368 were cars and trucks of every description, and 162 were motorcycles of equal variety. Actually, there were 530 entries inclusive of 62 class changes. (Some vehicles can change classes by changing fuels.)
If ferocious looks alone could...
If ferocious looks alone could win races, the American Eagle entry would best 'em all. Owner/driver Skip Hedrick's (Vista, CA) 372 cubic inch Chevy V-8 powered C/Gas Streamliner qualified for a shot at the 323.126 mph record set back in 2006 with a speed of 335.746 mph, but the fates ruled otherwise.
There was an astonishing total of 110 car and 65 motorcycle records newly established during 2,488 timed runs on the three courses with 26 new members inducted into the ever-elusive 200 mph club, and one, Mark Weiler, made the really elusive 300 mph club. Congratulations to all.
Beyond that, although the racers and crews rarely have time to wander about shaking hands, they are certainly aware that there would be no Speed Week if it wasn't for the 125 or so dedicated volunteers who put well over forty hours each into making it happen. Thanks to all.
Those of you interested in studying the entire Speed Week results can view them at the SCTA website: scta-bni.org. And, if you think you just might be interested in building your own race car and competing at Bonneville or El Mirage, you can get a copy of the current rules book (and perhaps a 2008 program or poster if indeed any are left) by contacting the Southern California Timing Association at:P.O. Box 10Orosi, CA 93647-0010(559) 528-6279Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. (Monday through Thursday)
If one wanted to emphasize...
If one wanted to emphasize aerodynamics, the Poteet & Main Speed Demon F/Blown Fuel Streamliner (#715) could easily champion that cause inasmuch as the engine is innocuously listed as an 182ci Mopar four-cylinder. The package is owned by Ron Main and driven by George Poteet. The team has held the record since 2006 at 325.934 mph. In 2008 they upped it to 343.494 with a best one-way run of 365.941. (Note: On Sept. 22nd, Poteet and Main upped the FIA record to 345.552 with a best one-way run of 390.560. Look for 400-plus next summer.)
The AA/Fuel Streamliner (#998...
The AA/Fuel Streamliner (#998 ) fielded by Nish Motorsports (Salt Lake, UT) is powered by a 596-inch big-block Chevy built by Klein Engines. The purple missile is owned by Terry Nish and driven by Mike Nish. Mike's best one-way run in 2008 was 377.102 mph, just 6/10ths of a mph less than the class record of 377.715 mph he set in 2007.
This year the Vesco C/Gas...
This year the Vesco C/Gas Streamliner entry (#444) replaced the 2006 record of 323.126 mph with a new one of 323.460 mph. The win was by a margin of 0.334 mph. The 369-inch Chevy V-8 'liner is owned by Rick Vesco (Rockville, UT) who shares the driving chores with Dave Spangler.
Bonner's Bad Berkeley is a...
Bonner's Bad Berkeley is a 1959 Berkeley sports car powered by a supercharged 540ci Donovan, and that puts it in the AA/Blown Gas Modified Sports class. Owned and driven by Bonner Denton (Tucson, AZ) it set a new record of 298.983 mph, besting his own 2002 record of 254.136. Bonner's fastest one-way run clocked 310.398 mph.
David Haas (Las Vegas, NV)...
David Haas (Las Vegas, NV) set, and still holds, the B/Blown Gas Streamliner record of 308.816 mph in 2006. He outfitted his long red rocket with two new Chevy engines to get a total of 738 cubic inches for the AA/Blown Gas Streamliner class. Luck wasn't with him; after turning 254.073 mph in the second mile, observers noted smoke. David coasted through the lights at the third mile.
John Rank's A/Gas Modified...
John Rank's A/Gas Modified Roadster (#1635) entered as Salty Dogs Racing is powered by a 565ci Dart V-8. John already owned the record since 2006 at 266.755 mph. He made a number of runs during the long week, but he couldn't put together a two-way average that bettered it. His best one-way run was 276.022 mph. As of this writing, he still holds the AA/GMR and B/GMR records.
The Danny Boy entry is well...
The Danny Boy entry is well known on the Salt Flats. The Thomason & Tradup partnership B/Fuel Streamliner runs a 433ci Chevy V-8. This year their best speed was 315.108 mph on a 344.114 mph record set in 2001. Richard Thomason handled the driving chores.
Owner Sparky Smith's Phoenix-based...
Owner Sparky Smith's Phoenix-based speed machine, AA/Gas Lakester #2211, is outfitted with a 555ci Chevy gutsy enough to push the old record of 276.374 mph all the way up to 299.642 mph with a best one-way clocking of 303.926 mph...and induction into the 200 MPH Club.
It's no mystery the "cut down"...
It's no mystery the "cut down" Ford roadster spawned the hot rod culture. Few can hold a match to the black beauty Pete Christeson and Ed Stuck trailered to Wendover from Roanoke, TX. Their B/Fuel Roadster with a 430ci Donovan Hemi under the hood, attacked their existing 2006 record of 257.040 mph. Ed succeeded with a record 269.063 mph.
Freudiger and Cline D/Fueler...
Freudiger and Cline D/Fueler (#50) (Lancaster, CA) is built around the '27 T body from deck to cowl, from there the lines of a traditional Modified Roadster. The team set the 239.139 mph class record in 2001, and by 2008 it was high time for an upgrade. They freshened up the 302ci Chevy V-8, strapped Willie Freudiger back in the seat, and pushed the record to 247.749 mph.
The Costella & Yacoucci XF/Fuel...
The Costella & Yacoucci XF/Fuel Streamliner (#788) is named the Nebulous Theorem III, a moniker that is vague at best. The team scored a new record in the XF engine class (Flatheads up to 325ci) and it doesn't take a mathematician to appreciate a jump from 223.462 to 236.337 mph.
The C/Blown Fuel Modified...
The C/Blown Fuel Modified Roadster (#700) campaigned as the Dincau & Logan entry has been a Bonneville standard for years. The ubiquitous 1927 Model T roadster body gracefully streamlined forward of the cowl is propelled by a 372ci Hemi Chevy V-8. It was driven this year by Russ Johnson (Palmdale, CA) and his best run was 236.728 mph. The class record, which has stood since 1974, still stands at 269.865 mph.
Kugel Komponents' latest version...
Kugel Komponents' latest version (Muroc) of the fabled #265 '29 roadster was painted black instead of its traditional orange, and entered in C/Blown Gas Modified Roadster. The MagnaCharger puffed 360ci Chevy V-8 proved equal to the task with Jerilyn Kugel's best run of 187.631; her brother Jeff jumped into the seat and upped the ante to 201.191 mph. Those flyin' Kugels!
Justin Walsh piloted his team's...
Justin Walsh piloted his team's beautiful B/Blown Street Roadster 333 to a new class record of 241.131 mph. The Walsh family and various partners have dominated the top three Blown Street Roadster classes (AA, A and B) since 1991.
The name Bill Burke has been...
The name Bill Burke has been intimately associated with dry lakes racing since the late 1930s and the Bonneville Speed Trials since 1949. Bill is best known, however, as the inventor of the belly tank lakester. Bill was also the advertising director of STREET RODDER in the '70s. That's him behind the wheel of #881's push truck. The Burple (Burke and purple color) race car, a C/Blown Fuel Modified Sports, is piloted by Joshua Burke, one of Bill's offspring. Joshua handily broke the 2007 class record of 179.364 mph with a 206.235 mph two-way average.
The name Mike Cook needs no...
The name Mike Cook needs no introduction at Bonneville, and Mike Cook, Jr. is well on his way to establishing his own identity. The Hodges-Lee-Cook C/Blown Gas Roadster (#589) runs a 370ci Chevy V-8 and Mike, Jr. broke the long standing 1992 record of 238.811 mph with a 243.223 mph two-way average in 2008.